Briefs

June 16, 1987

The Phoenix Gazette reported that former Suns player Johnny High, killed in an auto accident Saturday, had told a Phoenix TV station he received death threats after testifying against former teammates at grand-jury proceedings that led to the indictments of 12 people. But police say an investigation of the accident turned up no evidence of foul play, and tests showed High was legally intoxicated when he was killed. Police had been puzzled by the lack of skid marks at the accident scene--High`s auto struck a traffic-light pole in Phoenix.

High provided investigators with information implicating nightclub manager James Jordan, 33, restaurant waiter Terry Kelly, 30, and former Suns player Mike Bratz, 31, of drug-related offenses, the paper said. But because the case against all three hinge in part on High`s testimony at trial, one of two conspiracy counts against them might be dismissd because prosecutors are prohibited by law from using High`s testimony in court. ``High`s statements cannot be used because defense counsel does not have the ability to cross-examine,`` attorney Gary Peter Klahr said. ``This whole case is unraveling.`` Utah Jazz President David Checketts withdrew as a candidate for the job of president and general manager of the New York Knicks and was given the added title of GM with the Jazz. . . . Minneapolis lawyer and former pro football player Bob Stein was named president and chief executive officer of the new Minnesota NBA franchise.

Miami Dolphins linebacker Hugh Green, 27, was free on his own recognizance after being charged with carrying a concealed weapon at Tampa International Airport. Police said security personnel discovered a loaded, five-shot .38-caliber pistol in Green`s carry-on case late Sunday as he was preparing to board a flight to Miami. Airport police were summoned and arrested Green without incident.

All-American linebacker Brian Bosworth, chosen by Seattle in last week`s NFL supplemental draft, said he would listen to an offer from the Seahawks--but only once. Bosworth, who`d prefer to play for Tampa Bay, said he`ll ``listen to only one offer, so it`s going to have to be their best offer, and after that I guess we`re going to have to negotiate . . . to get a trade worked out.``

Northwestern`s Katrina Adams, the NCAA tennis doubles champion, has been named to the U.S. team for the World University Games July 8-19 in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. . . . Derrick Crass of Belleville, Ill., returning to competition after a two-year layoff, joins Rich Schutz of Mt. Prospect on the U.S. weightlifting team for the Pan Am Games, according to the U.S. Weightlifting Federation. Crass won the recent national title in the 82.5 kilogram class.

Soccer star Diego Maradona, 27, who led Argentina to a World Cup triumph last year and his Italian club, Napoli, to its first Italian title this year, was quoted in a Milan newspaper as saying that he may retire within two years.

Presidential aspirant Jesse Jackson, noting the increasingly repressive measures used to put down political protests in South Korea, called for a U.S. boycott of the 1988 Olympics in Seoul unless South Korea makes ``measurable improvements`` in human rights. . . . North Korea, which has demanded a cohost`s role for the Seoul Olympics, is undertaking construction work for the complete Games in case the volatile situation in South Korea continues, the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug reported from Pyongyang. The report said that although the North Korean capital has two stadiums--one with 100,000 seats, the other with 30,000--a new, 150,000-seat stadium is being built.

Construction of an Olympic Village, with 20,000 fully equipped four-bedroom apartments capable of accommodating 120,000 athletes, is in the final stages at Pyongyang, the report said.